Labor Force Participation of Women With Children
There are approximately 61.6 million women aged 15 to 44 in the United States. Of this population, 42.7 are in the labor force (i.e., working or looking for work) and 19.0 million are Not In the Labor Force.
| Employment Status | Population | Births | Birth rate (per 1,000 women) |
|---|---|---|---|
| In Labor Force | 42.7 mil. | 2.05 mil. | 52.0 |
| Not in labor force | 18.9 mil. | 1.75 mil. | 92.3 |
(Source)
Thus, although women not in the labor force account for only 30.8 percent of women age 15 to 44, they account for 46 percent of women having children in 2006. Put another way, 46 percent of children born in 2006 were born to a mother who was not in the labor force in the year in which that child was born.